Stabilized rosin amine pest control composition



Patented Dec. 13, 1949 STABILIZED ROSIN AMINE PEST CONTROL COMPOSITION Glenwood L. Schertz, Wilmington, Del., ass lgnor -to Hercules Powder Company,

Wilmington,

Del., a corporationo! Delaware No Drawing. Application July 18, 1947,

Serial No. 762,016

9 Claims.

This invention relates to pest control compositions and, more particularly, to pest control compositions containing a rosin amine as the active ingredient, which compositions are valuable for controlling harmful organisms which attack plant and animal matter, such as bacteria, fungi, etc.

Now, in accordance with this invention, it has been found that an amine of a stabilized rosin, or the coordinate covalent salts thereof, is toxic to both plant and animal organisms and other harmful lower forms of life. Thus, compositions containing these amines, or salts thereof, are very effective in controlling pests which are economically or physiologically harmful.

The pest control compositions in accordance with this invention are particularly effective as fungicides. Cotton fabric, wood, rope, leather. etc., rapidly deteriorate by rotting when exposed to conditions favorable to mycological growth. For example, wooden equipment which is buried or partially buried in the ground, as in the case of railroad ties and telephone poles, is subject to severe weathering conditions and quickly rots due to the growth of destructive fungi. Likewise, cotton fabric, rope, and leather are subject to rotting from mycological growth, in particular, mildew. The deterioration of tenting equipment, shoes, etc., in tropical climates has long been a dimcult and costly problem. Thes materials which are commonly subject to deteriora tion due to attack by injurious fungi are protected from such deterioration by treating them with the pest control compositions of this invention. The following examples illustrate the high fungicidal efiiciency of these pest control compositions.

Example 1 Samples of cotton duck were impregnated with dehydrogenated rosin amine and derivatives thereof by immersing them in 10% solutions of the rosin amine compound in suitable solvents. After evaporation of the soiventfrom each sample, they were buried, together with samples of untreated cotton-duck as controls, in mushroom soil for a period of 12 weeks. They were then dug up and the tensile strength of each sample determined. The control samples, untreated cotton duck, were found to be completely dlsintegrated. The following table gives the tensile strength of the samples; each result given represents an average of several experiments with each impregnant.

Example 1 was repeated except that samples of rope were used in place of the cotton duck. After burial, the samples were-tested for their tensile strength. The results given in the following table represent an average of several experiments with each impregnant.

Impregnant Load at Breaking Rosin Amine Compound Solvent Pomt' Dehydrogenuted rosin aminenl Gasoline... 317 Dehydrogenated rosin amine acetate. Water. 372 Dehydrogenated rosin amine stearate. Acetone. 284 Dehydr'abietyl amine complex of cupric Gasoline 340 ace I Dehydroabietyl amine complex of zinc Benzene 375 chloride. Untreated Untreated and unexposed 364 dehydrogenated rosin amine and hydrogenated rosin amine by immersingthem in gasoline so- 3 lotions of the two compounds, the samples containlng 0.5% of the amine after drying. The re sistance of the treated duck to mildew was Judged by determination of the change in the breaking strengthaftersevendaylburlallnaoil. The! breakingstrengths of thesamplcsareahownin the following table: g

- Aim- Burial lmpregnnnt new m... ew

not 200 3 an +1 200 33 -82 Example 4 Samples of cotton duck were impregnated with a solution of the hydroabietylamine' complex of copper acetate in mineral spirits, the solution containing 0.5% copper. One-half of the samples was leached with water for one week by allowing a stream of tap water to flow over them. The samples were analyzed and found to contain 0.31% copper before leaching and 0.28% copper after the leaching process. The unleached and leached samples were then buried in soil, and the change in the warp-breaking strength was determined. There was no loss in breaking strength 0 the unleached samples even after six weeks burial, whereas untreated samples of the duck had a loss of after two weeks burial. The leached samples had no loss in breaking strength after three weeks burial but had a loss of 20% after six weeks burial.

Example 5 Emulsions of a number of rosin amine com- 4 pounds containing one part of the rosin amine compound in 800 parts of water, kerylbenzene sulfonate being used as the emulsifying agent,

were tested for their control of the fungi Alternaria. Observations were made both prior and subsequent to 1% inches of rain. The following table shows the control obtained with each of the compounds:

Bpone Count( omt oi'oontro) No Rain 3 l 0 so 18 1M Example 6 Emulsions of rosin amine compounds were m0 5 Dimethyl all5l sporium, in the same way as described in Exam 5, with the following results:

Spore Count cent of contro NoRain Rain The stabilized rosin amines or salts thereof also have a high degree of germicidal activity, and compositions containing these compounds are powerful disinfectants. These disinfectant compositions are particularly useful in disinfecting or sterilizing lavatory installations, eating utensils, dairy equipment, surgical instruments and other hospital equipment, or other articles requiring such treatment. The following examples illustrate the germicidal efficacy of the compositions in accordance with this invention, as demonstrated by their phenol coefficients. In each case, the phenol coefficient was determined by the F. D. A.- method at 20 C.

' Example 7 The phenol coemcients were determined on 10% aqueous solutions of a number of the water- 5 soluble salts of the stabilized rosin amines and are given in the following table:

Phenol Coeillclent Rosin Amine Salt Dehydr gonated rosin amine acetate 13.0 18.0 Dlmethy benzyl dehydrogenated rosin amnium chloride 4.0 25.0

' diehydrogonated rosin ammonium bromi 6. 0 6. 5 Dimethyl methoxy methyl dehydrogenated rosin ammonium chloride 9. 1 2.4 Trlrueth ldehydrogenatedrosinammonium methy sulfate 5. 2 4.6

Rain

Instead of solutions of water-soluble salts of the rosin amines, the amine itself may be used as an effective germicide in the form of an emulsion. Any suitable emulsifying agent, such as fatty acid soaps or neutral emulsifiers, may be used to form the germicidal emulsion. The following example illustrates the germicidal properties of such an emulsion.

Example 8 The phenol coefficient of a composition containing a stabilized rosin amine and an emulsifying agent was determined and compared with that of the emulsifying agent alone, with the following tested for their control of the fungi, Macroresults. The emulsifying agent used was a polyoxyalkylene derivative of a sorbitol monoester of a long-chain fatty acid.

The stabilized rosin amines or salts thereof may also be used in combination with other disiniectants, such as pine oil, etc. The following example demonstrates the increase in the germicidal properties oil a pine oil emulsion when a stabilized rosin amine or salt thereof is added.

E's-ample 9 The efiect of adding a rosin amine or rosin amine salt to a combination of pine oil and emulsifying agent is shown in the following table. The emuslifying agent used was the'same as that in Example 8 above.

The stabilized rosin amines or salts thereof also exhibit insecticidal properties, compositions con.. taining them as the active toxic ingredient hav ing a killing powder against housefiies greater that that of the Official Test insecticide. For example, a 10% solution of hydrogenated rosin amine in deodorized kerosene had a kill of 49% when tested against housefiies, whereas the fiicial Test insecticide had a hill of only 32%. However, the use of these compositions for controlling insects is limited because their phytotoxic properties prevent their general use as plant sprays.

0n the other hand, these compositions, being toxic to some plants, are valuable weed killers or deterrents, particularly against crab grass, without adversely affecting the desirable grasses. Crab grass is one of the worst lawn pests and is eradicated only with great difiiculty. However, the application of even an 0.15% aqueous solution of dehydrogenated rosin amine acetate on the lawn caused the crab grass to yellow and wither,'and periodic treatments during the crab grass season eradicated the pest.

Thus, the compositions of this invention, containing a stabilized rosin amine or salt thereof, are effective for controlling a wide variety of pests, such as micro-organisms and other plant and animal organisms. They may be used to treat cotton, rope, wood, hemp, leather, etc, to reduce deterioration due to fungal growth. They may also be used as insecticides, in certain applications, and as weed killers, germicides, and disinfectants.

Any stabilized rosin amine or coordinate covalent salt thereof may be used as the active in gradient of the pest control compositions in ac cordance with this invention. The rosin amines which may be used are the amines of stabilized rosins, such as those of dehydrogenated or dishydroabietylamines.

drogenated rosin. Ii desired, the amines o! the pure resin acids, such as dehydroabietylamine, hydroabietylamine, etc., may be used. By the term "stabilized rosin amine" is meant a rosin amine having the ring structure of a. stabilized rosin acid, such as dehydroabietic acid, dihydroabietic acid, tetrahydroabietic acid, polyabietic acid, or a mixture of such rosin amines.

The stabilized rosin amines used as pest control agents in accordance-withthis invention may be prepared by reacting ammonia with a stabllized rosin to form the nitrile and then hydrogenating the nitrile to form the amine. The preparation of the nitrile may be carried out by passing gaseous ammonia into the molten rosin material and vaporizing the water as fast as it is formed in order to remove the water from the reaction mixture. The nitrile may also be prepared by heating the rosin material with ammonia in the presence of a dehydration catalyst. In either case, the nitrile should be purified by neutralization or distillation before subjecting it to hydrogenation to prepare the amine, as the presence of acidic materials frequently destroys the hydrogenation catalyst.

The resin acid nitriles prepared from the stabilizedrosins are then hydrogenated to prepare the amine. The hydrogenation may be carried out in the presence or absence of ammonia. Likewise, a solvent may be used in the reaction but is not necessary. Any active hydrogenation catalyst may be used, as, for example, an active base metal catalyst such as nickel, cobalt, Raney nickel, Raney cobalt, etc., a noble metal catalyst such as active platinum, palladium, palladium on carbon, or reduced platinum oxide. The reaction is usually carried out at a pressure of from about 200 to 8000 pounds per square inch and at a temperature of from about 20 C. to about 200 C.

In addition to the above-mentioned primary rosin amines, secondary and tertiary rosin amines are effective pest control agents, particularly the lower alkyl and alkylol rosin amines, as, for example, methyldehydroabietylamine, ethyldehydroabietylamine, dimethyldehydroabietylamine, diethyldehydroabietylamine, isopropyl dehydroabietylamine, butyl dehydroabietylamine, N-dehydroabietyl methylol amine, N-dehydroabietyl ethanol amine, N-dehydroabietyl diethanol amine, N-dehydroabietyl 3-hydroxybutylamine, and the corresponding secondary and tertiary These secondary and tertiary rosin amines may be prepared by reacting the rosin amine with an alkyl halide or sulfate or by a simultaneous condensation and reduction of the rosin amine and an aldehyde or ketone. The secondary and tertiary alkanol amines may be prepared by reacting the rosin amine with a suitable epoxide, such as ethylene oxide, etc.

The primary, secondary, or tertiary rosin amines may also be used in the form of their salts. The salts are readily prepared by adding an acid of the desired anion to the rosin amine either in the presence or absence of a solvent for the reaction. In some cases the salts, as, for example, the thiocyanate, sulfide, arsenate, etc,

are more easily prepared by a metathesis reaction between a rosin amine salts, such as the acetate, and a suitable alkali metal salt. The salts of secondary and tertiary rosin amines may also be prepared by addition of an alkyl halide, sulfate, etc., to the primary rosin amine. As examples of the salts of rosin amines which may be used in. accordance with this invention, may be menproportionated rosin, polymer rosin, or by 3&5 tionedthe hydrochloride, hydrobromlde. carbon- V 1" ate, phosphate, sulfate. borate, thiocyanate, oxalate, sulfide, arsenate, iormate, acetate, chloroacetate, bromoacetate, propionate, chloropropionate, butyrate, oleate. laurate, stearate,-malonate, 'a'dipate, benzoate, salicylate, phthalate, sulfamate, maleate, etc.

' hydroabietyl ammonium chloride, dimethyl ethanol dehydroabietyl ammonium bromide, etc.,

, and the corresponding hydroabietyl compounds.

These quaternary salts may be prepared by the addition of analkyl, alkenyl, or aralkyl halide, or dialkyl sulfate, to a tertiary rosin amine or by the reaction of a halohydrin such as ethylenebromohydrln with a tertiary rosin amine.

Another class of main amine derivatives which may housed in the compositions of this invention is the complex metal ammine salts of the rosin amines. These metal complexes are formed by reacting an amine of a stabilized rosin with a metal salt capable of forming complexes with ammonia, such as the copper, zinc, chromium, mercury, silver, aluminum, iron, cobalt, nickel, etc., salts. Complex metal ammine salts produced in this manner are the subject of my copending application, Serial Number 722,285. Typical compounds that may be used are dehydroabietyl ammine cuprlc acetate, dehydroabietyl ammino zinc chloride, dehydroabietyl ammine zinc acetate, dehydroabietyl ammino silver nitrate, dehydroabietyl ammino aluminum chloride, de-' hydroabietyl ammino mercuric acetate, etc., and the corresponding hydroabietyl .ammino compounds. The rosin amine complexes of zinc, copper, silver, and mercury salts areparticularly eflective fungicides.

The pest control compositions in accordance with this invention comprises a stabilized rosin amine or coordinate covalent salts thereof and a diluent, the latter being determined by the useof the composition, as is the concentration of the active ingredient in. the diluent. Thus. when used as a fungicide, as, for example, in treating wood, a solution of the agent in any-suitable solvent,- such as gasoline, benzene, kerosene, or aqueous emulsions, may be painted or sprayed on the wood. In this use a solution containing about of the fungicide gives excellent protection. In rotprooiing cloth, rope, etc., the fungicide may be applied by impregnation with a solution of the agent in a suitable solvent or it.

may be applied in formulations'containing other materials, such as flameproofers, resins, plasticizers, and pigments. For use in, protecting 1 plants, the fungicide may be applied as an acne-.

'ous eumlsion made by emulsifyingwthe active,

agent in water with any suitable emulsifying agent or it may be applied as adust,-the active agent being mixed with an inert diluent or caretc.

When used as a disinfectant, the diluent as be water, alcohol, pine oil, etc., or the ,amine compound may be used in the form-of an emulsion. Particularly useful as germicides or disaioam Q.

infectants are the stabilized rosin amines. the salts thereof, and the quaternary ammonium salts thereof. The water-soluble salts areususlly preferable but. in some instances, water-insoluble s salts are desirable. The concentration of the active ingredient in the disinfectant composition will depend upon the use; the concentration should be such that sterilization is obtained in a practical length of time. The disinfectant com- 10 positions in accordance with this invention may 7 be used to sanitize, disinfect, or sterilize a variety of implements or other articles whose use makes the control of microbial growth essential. The article to be treated may be immersed or otherwise exposed to the disinfectant and, after a time sufllcient to insure complete destruction of i the micro-organisms, the article may be rinsed with a pure solvent to remove the reactive agent. These disinfectants are particularly valuable'in washing floors, walls, and installations in hospitals, etc., where complete sterilization is essential.

By the term coordinate covalent salts of an amine of a, stabilized rosin," as used in the specification and claims, is meant the ammonium salts of the primary, secondary, and tertiary amines formed by the addition of an acid to the amine of a stabilized rosin; the quaternary ammonium salts of the amines; i. e., the salt formed by the addition of an alkyl or aralkyl halideietc to a tertiary amine of a stabilized rosin; and the complex metal ammine salts; i. e., the complex formed between the rosin amine and a metal salt capable of forming a complex.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A pest control composition in the form of a dust comprising a compound of the group consisting of a stabilized rosin amine and the coordinate covalent salts thereof admixed with a substantial amount of a material of the group misting of .pyrcphyllite, bentonite, and kiesel' 2. A pest control composition in the form of a dust comprising a stabilized rosin amine admixed with a material of the group consisting of pyrophyllite, bentonite, and kieselguhr.

3. A pest control composition in the form of a dust comprising dehydrogenated rosin amine admixed with a material oi the group consisting of pyrophyliite, bentonite, and kieseiguhr.

4. A pest control composition in the form ci a dust comprising a coordinate covalent salt of a stabilized rosin amine admixed with a material 0f the group consisting and kieselguhr.

5. A pest control composition in the form of a dust comprising a coordinate covalent salt of dehydroabietylamine admixed with a material of the group consisting of pyrophyllite,,bentonite, and kieselguhr.

6. A pest control composition in the form of a dust comprising a coordinate covalent zinc salt of dehydroabietyl rosin amine admixed with a bentonite, and kieselguhr.

7. A pest control composition in the form of a dust comprising the dehydroabietylamine complex of zinc chloride admixed with a material of the group consisting of pyrophyllite, bentonite, and kieselguhr.

8. A pest controljcomposition in the form of a dust comprising a coordinate covalent complex copper salt of dehydroabietylamine admixed of pyrophyllite, bentonite,

material of the group consisting of pyrophyllite;

iile of this patent:

and heselsuhr.

GIENWOOD Ii. SCHERTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in tho Number 7 10 UNITED STATES PA'I'EN'IB Name Date Koeberie Nov. 22, 1938 Schmidt July 11, 1939 Littmann May 6, 1941 Campbell Jan. 9, 1945 7 Blair Dec. 17, 1946 Roou July 8, 1947 

